BMH lawyers file petition for public records

The law firm representing Bingham Memorial Hospital has filed a petition to compel the production of public records.

This means Holland and Hart wants the Bingham County commissioners and Lee Hammett to release every document concerning allegations about mismanagement of the hospital.

The attorney for Local News 8 said this is a fairly normal procedure.

Judge Darren Simpson will get the petition, decide whether to request and read all the documents, and, if he sees something he thinks should be made public for the Bingham Memorial Hospital’s lawyers, he’ll do so.

Lee Hammett, private citizen who began this investigation, said he’s not hiding anything.

“All my handwritten notes, all my emails, everything that I had on this investigation that I performed has gone to the authorities. I have nothing,” he said.

Blackfoot Police Chief Dave Moore agreed.

“I believe that Lee gave me all the documents that he had in his custody,” said Moore.

Hammett maintained he offered to give the information he had obtained over to the hospital in exchange for a meeting with the Board of Directors months ago, but they denied his request.

Moore said the State Attorney General’s Office is continuing its investigation into BMH.

We also reached out to lawyers for the hospital for comment. Attorney Erik Stidham released the following statement:

” Mr. Hammett has always conditioned the release of his documents on some concession from the hospital, such as when Mr. Hammett offered to produce some documents if the hospital promised to never bring any legal actions against him for the damage he caused. Mr. Hammett simply needs to provide the documents without conditions in accordance with the public records request.”